At Montalvin, one big goal for this school year has been to celebrate the positives and flip the language heard around the school from “don’t...” to “do...”. Stating expectations in the positive helps to give students a vocabulary about what they SHOULD be doing and conveys that you believe they can. Students need to see themselves as capable of meeting expectations and participating as responsible community members. When everyone throughout the school uses positive language it helps students build that self-perception. You begin to see a mindshift and students can name and show you what “being good” looks and sounds like, how it feels, and why it’s important. Responsive Classroom, a research-based positive approach to education, backs this up, “Our words and tone of voice have a profound effect on children. By tuning in to the language we use with children, day in and day out, everywhere in school, we can empower our students, helping them to learn new skills and become their best selves.”

Here are a few pointers gleaned from PBIS and Responsive Classroom on effective and positive reinforcement:

• Name concrete, specific behaviors - General praise like “good job” or vague feedback like “be good” can be confusing to students. Precise praise lets students know exactly what they are doing correctly and encourages them to keep doing it. For instance, instead of saying “You’re such a good writer!” try, “You’re writing is filled with such colorful details, I can tell you put a lot of thought and effort into it!”
• Use the 4:1 ratio -  A study from Vanderbilt University recommends about a 4:1 ratio of positive reinforcement to redirection. They found that “When used effectively in the classroom, it can increase the social and academic performance of students, as well as improve classroom climate.” This means that the more often teachers notice the good in students, the more good students will do!
• Use a warm, professional tone - This takes some effort and practice on the part of the teacher. Instead of using sarcasm, baby talk, or overly gushy language, be warm & direct. Smile and and give your praise authentically or be firm, without judgement when redirecting misbehavior. For instance, “Should I really still be telling a fourth grader to walk at THIS time of the school year?!” try, “Freeze, go back and walk please.”
• Praise progress - Some students may take longer to learn to meet expectations than others. When we notice and praise a student is making an effort to meet expectations and did something well, make sure to notice it! For instance, a student that continually struggles with shouting out may begin to call out an answer, but catches herself and raises her hand. After class, pull the student aside and privately reinforce this by saying, “I noticed you almost called out, but caught yourself and raised your hand. You’re getting better at waiting until an appropriate time to talk!”

​

 seating 
One very concrete way we’ve seen this work at Montalvin is in our cafeteria. Students were struggling to meet expectations of keeping their hands to themselves, walking, keeping a low volume, cleaning up after themselves, eating their food appropriately, raising their hands to get out of their seats, etc. Throughout the year, the admin team and lunch supervisors tried a variety of interventions and consequences like assigned seating, more staff, reteaching and practicing, community service, loss of recess, etc. 

It wasn’t until we brought Class Dojo, a positive behavior tracking app, into the lunch room that we began to see improvement. We also hung up posters and images of Montalvin students following expectations so students can see themselves doing what they should. Now, the lead lunch staff calls out positive behavior and give points generously for all the things they see going well. Other lunch staff circulate from table to table giving points when warranted and reminders when needed. The points are projected in real-time and tables silently cheer for each other when points are earned. Students work together toward earning points as a table for extra play time and, at the end of the year, the ability to participate in a much anticipated water balloon fight!

Vice Principal, Michael Small praises the new system, “Since we implemented Dojo, students have been way more motivated to follow our core values. We have to redirect students less and the cafeteria is a lot cleaner and more fun. It’s really been transformative!”
​

In the spirit of “spring cleaning,” I wanted to share the powers of The KonMari Method and what it can do if we applied these concepts to our classroom. Now, in full disclosure, I haven’t watched her hit Netflix series or read her New York Times bestseller book but I’ve witnessed the phenomenon attract the interests (and obsession!) of my friends, family, and colleagues. 

For those of you who aren’t familiar with The KonMari Method, it is a practice created by Marie Kondo who is considered a tidying expert. She has outlined an entire process in how to simplify and organize your life. It isn’t just about tidying and effectiveness, it is about being mindful and reflective; essentially, it is about “choosing joy.”  

You may be wondering what does spring cleaning have to do with Unconditional Education? Great question! Well, I recently came across an article in neaToday that applies this concept to our classrooms and it resonated with me since one of our core values is joy. As I did a bit more research, it turns out that educators across the States are applying these concepts into the classroom and reflecting upon the following questions: 

• Does this spark joy for my students? 
• Does this spark engagement? 

• Does this spark curiosity? 

These questions are applied to everything from how a classroom is presented to how things are organized and accessible for students to enhance their learning and overall well-being—all of which are important to our Unconditional Education model.  

Now this blog is not intended to tell you to ‘clean up’ your classroom. And I’m not trying to add more stress to what I know is a never ending to do list but I do urge you to take a moment to look around your learning space and consider if this space fosters joy and engagement. We often spend the weeks and days leading up to the start of the school year decorating our classrooms, office spaces, and hallway bulletin boards with such love, creativity, and intention. We may have a second surge of energy in doing so again at Winter break but with summer approaching, it is natural for us to think it may not be worth it; let’s remind ourselves what our students, families and staff deserve each day…an engaging, lively space up to the final hours of the school year.  

So I encourage you as we approach summer holidays (9 weeks, but who’s counting?!) and we may be finding time in our personal lives for a ‘spring cleaning,’ can we also take time in our classrooms and schools? As we wrap up lessons for the year and think about preparing for next year, consider applying the KonMari Method to the classroom! And this isn’t a job for you alone. Engage you students in this process. Ask them these same questions about what sparks engagement and work together as a community to ensure the classroom and school continues to be a place overflowing with joy! 
​
If you’re interested in learning more, check out these articles: 

• How to Get a Clutter-Free Classroom the KonMari Way 
• The KonMari Method: 5 Ways to De-Clutter Your School 
• Ten Tips for Packing up Your Classroom 

Name: Nicolas Cruz
Position: Special Services and Events Manager at SOAR Academy
 
What led you to your current position?
Well, I began at SOAR as a Student Support Counselor during the school’s opening year as a one to one support for a student. The student population was only 100 at the beginning so it was easy to get to know all the staff and students and I began helping to plan some student engagement events for the school to really insert Joy into the community. As the population grew, there were many student and staff needs around the school so I began supporting  helping new Seneca and SOAR staff understand and commit to Unconditional Education.
 
Fun Fact/Quote?
I just got into grad school at Seattle University!
 
What does your average day look like?
My average day is different every single day. It’s Spring now, so I spend most of my time getting ready for our big events such as our Dance Showcase, field trips, field day, and Multicultural Day. The thing that is consistent each day is working with our teachers and support staff when they need additional support and guidance when working with our students that have different needs.
 
Why do you do this work?
It’s a lot of fun! I love the team and the students here. I think all students deserve memorable experiences about school and I like getting to think of ways to have that joy in our school! It sounds corny, but my favorite memories working here for the past almost four years are the days where I see laughter and friendship between students. 

Based in New Orleans, the Special Education Leadership Fellowship (SELF) has the mission of “improv[ing] the quality of special education programming by developing highly skilled special education leaders in schools.”  They carry out this mission through an innovative two-year fellowship program where participants develop their core leadership and technical skills to implement best practices in the field of special education.  SELF Executive Director Aqua Stovall learned about UE and knew she wanted her fellows to get a grounding in the foundations of our approach . Since 2018, All-In! Leaders Amber Fretwell, Toshia Mears, and Darrell Burns have been traveling to New Orleans to deliver the UE TCB modules “Trauma Informed Education” and “Understanding & Responding to Challenging Behaviors” to every new cohort of SELF fellows.  Since we know that transformation of practices requires understanding and buy-in from all levels of school leadership, we’re grateful to have the opportunity to train and inspire future New Orleans SPED leaders in UE principles and practices, and we look forward to continuing and deepening this partnership in the future. ​

In the summer of 2017, the Founder/CEO of Albuquerque, New Mexico-based Southwest Family Guidance Center & Institute’s CEO Craig Pierce found the book  Unconditional Care by Seneca’s Clinical Director John Sprinson and CEO Ken Berrick. In a state that struggles greatly with child poverty and domestic violence, Southwest had developed a number of programs to support youth and families, including providing trainings to school staff on Trauma Informed practices. A next step in their mission was to deepen their collaboration and consultation with schools, so several of their organizational leaders came to Oakland in September 2017 and again in February 2019 for UE Train the Trainer series led by Sara Moses.  During their recent visit, they had a chance to meet with veteran UE Coaches Anna Sciano, Jenna Evans, and Keri Stewart for a panel discussion at Verde Elementary in Richmond. They were also able to tour our partnership at Horace Mann Elementary in Oakland. Between their visits to the Bay Area, Sara and I connect with Southwest’s leaders for monthly consultations where we focus on implementing new practices, aligning with school leaders, and effectively coordinating services for students and families.   

These UE TCB partnerships are exciting opportunities for us to share our UE practices and principles and to learn from other strong organizations whose missions connect with our own.  Looking forward to continuing our partnerships with SELF and Southwest and to fostering more nation-wide partnerships in the future. ​

Name: Mollie Roark
Position: Occupational Therapist with the Seneca All-In Partnership.

What led you to your current position? After graduating as an OT, I was looking for a pediatric or mental health OT position. I was excited to come across the OT opportunity at Seneca, that incorporates both!  I was drawn to Seneca's unconditional care (and unconditional education) philosophy and wanted to work collaboratively with others who believed in and worked towards that.
 
Fun Fact/Quote? OTs work in many settings (hospitals, schools, clinics, in the community, shelters, home health, nursing homes) and with any population (newborn through older adult/end of life, physical medicine, mental health, and a combination)! OTs strive to support a person, and their community to do what they need and want to do (occupations) through the  therapeutic use of every day activities.
 
What does your average day look like? Each day of the week I travel to a different school(s) and provide direct treatment, consultation services, conduct observations and evaluations, attend IEP meetings, and do documentation. Students on my caseload have challenges in the areas of fine motor, gross motor, bilateral coordination, visual motor and perception, and/or sensory processing skills, to the extent that it impacts their success and participation at school. We play games and do activities that target these areas in a fun way (that's the hope!), that relates to the students interests. An area that requires a lot of these skills is handwriting, so I work to target the underling components that are impacting legibility, strengthen them in sessions and provide adaptive resources to teachers. My day also includes tons of animal walks, infinity breathing, hand and body compressions, and obstacle courses to help get my kiddos regulating input to support their attention and well-being. Also as a new practitioner, I spend time researching questions I have, different treatment ideas, and doing case consultations with more experienced OTs (shout out Marika Minczeski).
 
Why do you do this work? I believe everyone should have the right to accessing what they need and want to do in life, and I believe in advocating for that right and finding creative solutions to making it happen. 

Inclusion of students with disabilities into the school of their choice is a civil right and should be thought of in that way. Students with disabilities may do things differently that may be apparent in the way they talk, dance, learn, smile, etc…. however they aren’t deficiencies. In fact, as human beings the one thing we have in common is that we are all different. Unfortunately, it is our society that has developed a hierarchical structure defining our differences with some differences being labeled positively and others as deficient. This is an antiquated paradigm plagued by prejudice. This prejudice has stratified our society and socialized us into only knowing how to connect with individuals with commonalities and excluding individuals that are different.

What makes this even more challenging is that most people don’t recognize this prejudice and often disguise it by compassion or pity. For example, people may be better able to recognize their racial or cultural bias but are less likely to recognize their prejudice against people with disabilities. The simple fact that as a society we continue to engage in a practice of segregating students and individuals with disabilities into “special” placements, facilities, and homes suggests adherence to this prejudice. This way of thinking needs to change and be added to other civil rights initiatives fighting for equal rights and justice.

One of the most basic and easy change to make is simply the presumption of competence. In other words, the belief that individuals are capable unless there is absolute evidence to thwart that belief. Instead, a mindset shift and belief that assumptions about individuals and their abilities should be rooted as, Anne Donnellan mentioned in her book, Movement Differences and Diversity in Autism-Mental Retardation: Appreciations and Accommodations People with Communications and Behavior Challenges (1994) in a concept referred to as “Least Dangerous Assumption.” Anne Donnellan writes, “Least Dangerous assumption states that in the absences of absolute evidence it is essential to make the assumption that, if proven false, would be least dangerous to the individual.” It is always safest and most respectful to make the “least dangerous assumption.”

Consider how this relates to student school placement for a student with a disability. Imagine there is a child with limited verbal language and difficulty moving due to the impacts of cerebral palsy. Teachers have worked with her for months and have not seen any evidence of what she understands. In fact, the teachers are beginning to wonder if the child has any understanding at all. These teachers can make two assumptions: “what you see is what you get” or “I bet this student knows a lot and doesn’t have an appropriate way of expressing ideas”. The first assumption is limiting and focused only on the students deficits, whereas the second assumptions presumes competence and a belief in the possibilities. The second assumption leaves room for high expectations, creative problem-solving and hopefully to the idea that with a use of a communication device this students voice and ability to self-express will blossom. 

But consider what happens when as educators and school communities we rely on the old antiquated paradigm focused on deficiencies. Consider the outcome for students and individuals with disabilities. What if the teachers gave up and chose to believe the first assumption? What harm is caused by this assumption? What is lost for the student and individuals with disabilities?

We all have strengths and weaknesses and more importantly differences. We all have a desire for acceptance and inclusion. It is up to all of us to examine our own core beliefs and spread the word around inclusion of individuals with disabilities, as well as, the “Least Dangerous Assumption.” We can no longer allow the paradigm of prejudice and exclusion to exist for individuals with disabilities as this is what is truly dangerous. ​